Strategic Communications: Unlocking Practitioner-Led Road Safety Change
Transport for New South Wales is the state’s lead transport agency, responsible for setting the standards and policies that shape how roads are managed across the state. As part of a broader review of its Speed Zoning Standard, Transport for NSW set out to examine whether practitioners had the right messages, tools and guidance to communicate speed zoning changes effectively.
Abley was engaged to conduct an independent review of the existing Speed Zoning Standard Engagement Guidelines, assessing whether they were fit for purpose alongside the incoming Standard and identifying the systemic gaps undermining consistent practice. The quality of that review led Transport for NSW to commission a second, more significant piece of work: the development of the Communications and Engagement Framework to support the revised Standard and deliver consistency across NSW.
The Challenge
The review revealed that the problems ran deeper than unclear guidance. The core issues were fragmented practice across central and regional teams, limited support for frontline practitioners, a lack of evidence-based narratives to explain why speed changes were needed and inconsistency in the type of engagement being delivered across the state.
With the Speed Zoning Standard under review at the same time, an updated Standard without stronger engagement practice to support it would simply embed the same inconsistencies.
The Solution
Abley took a practitioner-led approach, built on the lived experience of the people responsible for delivering speed zoning engagement day to day. Through a staged engagement process, Abley worked in close partnership with both central and regional Transport for NSW teams, creating space for people to share their experiences, discuss barriers and contribute to defining the way forward. Four principles shaped the approach throughout:
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Open dialogue and shared ownership. Honest conversations across central and regional teams were prioritised from the outset, with a clear understanding that what was being developed was for practitioners, by practitioners.
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Listening and synthesising. Actively listening across the system to identify the recurring themes creating barriers and hindering progress.
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Keeping the focus on user outcomes. Effective engagement had to rise above organisational silos, keeping a consistent focus on what mattered most: delivering better outcomes for practitioners.
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Intentional language and tone. How issues were named and framed mattered as much as what was said. Abley was deliberate in reflecting back what was heard, acknowledging what was not working and setting clear standards for communication built on an assumption of good intent.
The engagement was carefully phased, moving from discovery through to agreeing a way forward. Each phase created room for both collective and individual reflection, with one-on-one conversations ensuring quieter voices were heard alongside more vocal ones. As the picture became clearer, the conversation shifted from understanding the problem to defining the solution, including agreeing on best practice narratives and tools that practitioners across all regional teams could apply consistently.
One of the more significant insights to emerge was the issue of language. The existing guidelines framed practitioner activity as consultation, but in most cases, practitioners are informing Road Safety Partners about decisions that have already been made based on technical criteria. While there are instances where consultation does take place, the default assumption that all engagement is consultative was creating confusion and unrealistic expectations. Addressing this distinction became a central part of developing the new framework.
From this foundation, Abley developed a comprehensive Communications and Engagement Framework providing practical guidance for every stage of the speed zoning process, supported by ready-to-use tools, templates, messages and evidence-based narratives. Rather than a static document, the framework gives practitioners across NSW a shared, repeatable way of working in place of ad hoc approaches.
Client feedback
Transport for NSW said:
“Abley demonstrated strong communication skills throughout the project, engaging directly and independently with our Directors, Managers and Speed Practitioners to hear feedback firsthand. Regular check-in meetings and written updates kept Transport informed at every stage, ensuring progress could be communicated across all affected teams.
Abley’s ability to engage effectively across all levels of the organisation contributed directly to the success of the project. They also went beyond the original scope, providing additional relevant information that has strengthened our understanding of speed zoning and kept road safety outcomes at the centre of the work.”
If your organisation is navigating complex technical reform and needs communications and engagement that can keep pace with it, we can help. Abley brings deep expertise in designing practitioner-led engagement systems that build consistency, improve understanding and support lasting change. Get in touch to find out what we can do for your programme.
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